Great Escape Publishing

Posted March 11th, 2011 by The Photographer's Life & filed under Travel Photography.

Terry Robinson discusses how he earns an extra $500-1,000 per month with pet photography…and how you can, too! LORI: Hi Terry. It’s been over three years since you joined us in Hershey, PA for our Pet Photography Workshop. Before you came to the workshop, had you ever sold a photograph? TERRY: Before attending the workshop, I had only sold a handful of images to family members and close friends. None of them were of animals. I only charged $25 to $50. I didn’t think of myself as a professional photographer as much as a very good amateur. Since attending the pet photography workshop, however, and meeting you, Shelly, Ren, and Rich, I discovered that I really was a professional photographer and it was just the way I thought of myself that needed to change. I was treated like a professional by my colleagues and it made all the difference. So, thank you! LORI: How long after the Pet Photography Workshop did you get your first client? TERRY: When I returned home from the pet photography workshop, it was the end of September and I made up some flyers and business cards and took them to all of the kennels and groomers in my city. I introduced myself and everyone was happy to let me leave my flyers at their business. The first week of October, I received a call from one of my flyers and I did an in-home sitting and shoot. I spent about an hour there, took some very nice photos, and my client spent $275. After that, I was as busy as I wanted to be right up to Christmas. LORI: How do you advertise? TERRY: Right now, I only advertise with my flyers at kennels and groomers. If I’m going to do a day-long shoot at a kennel or groomer, I’ll supply them with a sign-up and media pack kit so they can easily sign up their customers. LORI: Is this a full-time job for you right now? Or just a part-time income? TERRY: I’m only doing this part-time now as I have many other projects. But I can honestly say that if I know I will need $500 to $1,000 next month for any reason, I just set up a day-long shoot at a kennel or groomer to get it. Since the pet photography workshop, I have done more than 10 day-long shoots. They make money, but it’s a very long day. I like taking my time with the animal and its owner for a moment before I start shooting their pet, so I do mostly private sittings. Animals love me and so taking pictures of them is not work at all. LORI: I like that you’ve turned this into a back-up income. If you know you want more cash, you line up a special shoot. Otherwise, it seems like it’s more like a hobby for you than a job. Can you give us any specifics about the kind of money you made last year? TERRY: I can tell you I make a really good income from my part-time pet photography. Last year, pet photography put a little over $10,000 in my bank account. The income is real and it’s always there as long as I can take a picture. LORI: Thanks Terry. See you in San Antonio! [Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Selling Photos for Cash: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]